Ask Marvin, Part Deux

Marvin is back by popular demand for another Monday edition! Today, Marvin gives some sagely advice on how to deal with those pesky, unsafe used seats.

“Dear Marvin, I found this absolutely dreadful carseat selling on Craigslist. The fabric was, like, totally 90s, so I know it was expired. Of course, I immediately sent an email to the seller informing them of how gross (and unsafe!) it was to sell something as hideous as that. The seller emailed me back telling me to mind my own business! How rude! What can I do? -Signed, Lost in Craigslist.”

Dear Lost, Marvin can solve your dilemma in 5 easy steps:

1) Go to Car-Seat.Org and report your Craigslist find right away. Everyone will want to know!

2) Bump your post and ask everyone to flag the listing so it will be removed.

3) Make sure to add some snyde comments about the evil seller. Have everyone else email them too, just for good measure.

4) Send PMs to Admin asking where your post went. I mean, WTH, you even apologized that you might have put it in the wrong forum.

5) Head on over to Ebay and scout for more unsafe seats.

That’s it! You’ve done your good deed for the day!

Marvin’s “What’s Fishy” Advocate’s Corner:

Today I planted a bogus Craigslist ad in my home state (I was adopted by mail order auction- really!). Can you find it? I KNOW you can. If you do, you might even win a prize. Here’s how! First, find the fishy ad. Second, be the first to post a new thread with a link to Marvin’s ad at Car-Seat.Org (sorry, you must register or be a registered member at Car-Seat.Org to win!). Third, reply here with a comment (preferably using the same username or email address you used for registration at Car-Seat.Org so we can verify) and link the thread you made at Car-Seat.Org. The first one to post at Car-Seat.Org wins, but you must reply with a comment here to claim your prize. Feel free to flame Marvin on the forums if you wish, or send Marvin a nasty email to marvin “at” carseatblog “dot” com. Be advised that any emails become the property of Marvin and may well be used for material in future “Ask Marvin” columns!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
A purchase does not improve your chance of winning. Void where prohibited, taxed or otherwise restricted by law. Subject to all federal, state and local laws. Carseatblog.com reserves the right to disqualify entries that do not adhere to the rules or anyone Marvin doesn’t like for any particular reason. This contest is open to all legal residents of the United States and District of Columbia, and U.S. Military personnel (and their families) with APO/FPO addresses, who are eighteen (18) years of age or older and really, anyone else who wants to bother with it. Participation in this contest constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional acceptance of these Official Rules. Employees of Carseatblog (namely you Heather and Kecia and Darren) are prohibited from entering. Sorry!

Hard! I searched every “major coastal metropolitan area” CL (that I could think of) and the best I could find was a guy giving away a Peg seat for free cause it was in his wife’s car when it was totaled…

I’m pretty sure this isn’t it, but I’m posting it just in case. I can completely understand this guy’s desire to catch a fish (I’ve been trying all day!), though I can’t say I completely understand his English. http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/wan/832251765.html

Sorry! Marvin is not from Miami, but you’re getting warmer. Marvin and his charity ARE from a region in need of aid right now! Marvin is not from Illinois, he was ordered through aquabid.com from another region of the country! It’s so hard to find half-moon plakats in Chicago…

Remember, to win you need to post at Car-Seat.Org first and then reply with a comment here to claim your prize! If you post the craigslist link here first someone might beat you to the prize! Marvin will check in Tuesday morning but his friend Heather will keep an eye out for a winner tonight!

(Marvin’s getting worried his post will get flagged before one of our readers finds it! Marvin is pretty sure many of his readers will KNOW the ad as soon as they see it!)

Marvin’s “Person” is sitting on a tarmac. Our flight was ready to depart to takeoff between storms. Then Southwest told us we had to wait for a connecting passenger. Then they told us the passenger’s plane hadn’t landed yet. Over 30 mins later, he walked on casually. By then the line of planes waiting to takeoff was insane and the next line of storms is out my window. My battery is running low and there’s no end in sight for the wait. At least they let us turn on cellphones so I could hook up my notebook for service.

Anyway, if no one has found it yet, here’s Marvin’s charity. A donation matching the amount of the prize selected will be made to http://www.noahswish.org/ . Though they are based in California, it’s shouldn’t be too much of a guess as to where Marvin is from, given recent events!

By the way, you can mail order Bettas all the way from Thailand and the far east where the best breeders are. Too pricey for me. Even LA is a bit expensive with shipping, but if you want the super fancy ones you may not have much choice unless you have a good local pet store.

For those who missed it, this is how the fishy advertisement appeared (minus the photo of the cat sleeping in the carseat!):

narnia airways baby seat

for sale. one narnia airways child safety chair. fair condition. needs some vacuuming as its coated with pet hair but should clean up good. some parts may be missing like maybe the middle buckle stock part so you might need to call the company for replacements. i tried the number but it doesnt work for me maybe they are out of busness:-( it has a top teether. i’m not sure how old this thing is but it wasn’t used much because it fell apart sometimes. it has been gently used and stored in a cool dry basement in no smoking home but has some cat litter dust smell to it. it was kind hard to redo the straps through the slats but maybe you can figure it out. i wish I had it’s manuel to help but i dont so probably you can find it on the internet someplace. all the stickers seem to be legibil tho! just $19.95 if you act now (plus $39 S&H). as is condition. makes a nice pet bed. sorry cat not included.